To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

MAROON LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA FEBRUARY 26 1976 VOL. LM NO, 17 Essence of Carnival. floats, feelings, crowds by Janelle Naccari Jim Fadden We had to circle the block twice to be sure that the huge, pale green corrugated metal building at 600 Bordeaux St. was indeed the float factory for the krewes of (omus, Momus and Proteus. Set amid nondescript rows of uptown homes, it stands as a modern Mardi Gras grotto, housing "the Royal Artists" and the fruits of their toil: 52 multi-colored parade floats. This new school of float builders, under the supervision of filmmaker Herb Jahncke, Jr., a member of one of the secret organizations, has been refurbishing the floats downtown since last July. Last week they moved their shop to this new uptown location. Surprisingly, only five to six workers at any one time have done all of the work necessary to produce enough floats for three parades. All the crew workers are filmmakers except for Raul Meir, an artist commissioned by the city government. "A better idea goes further than a bigger dollar," Jahncke said. He said he would like to get away from the "typical pastel nonentities" we've been seeing so much of in the past few years, and use art work with brighter, more vivid colors. He also wants to see more creativity in float designs. "For the past 25-30 years, one man, Blaine Kern, has been setting the extravagant-float trend. We want to change that into a more traditional and simplistic method of float building," Jahncke stated. He said he would like to return to political satire, explaining that Mardi Gras was conducted in New Orleans over 100 years ago by people who would sit in barrooms and drink until they crowded into the streets to parade against the politicians they didn't like. Jahncke said the essence of Mardi Gras parades involves three important elements. "Of course, you must have the floats. Then you have those who ride on the floats and how they feel about Mardi Gras. Their feelings are very important in this respect: how these people feel will have an effect on the third ingredient-the crowd. This whole idea captures the true spirit of participation, an essential part of Mardi Gras." "I don't like the idea of having Mardi Gras in the Superdome. It's highly impersonal and there can be no participation. 1 don't believe in spending a great deal of money to awe and impress the public such as other parades do," Jahncke said. This year, the krewes of Comus and Momus had their plans drawn up in advance so the Royal Artists simply executed these plans. Jahncke's group also created and executed the art work for the floats in the krewe of Proteus parade. A perfect example of their work is the Hollywood float which is a caricature collage of film stars which resembles a film strip wrapped around the float. Jahncke regrets the fact that he didn't have enough time this year to develop the artistic quality capable of his group. "Next year we plan on doing all of the art work on the floats ourselves. This was our first Dear as a working group and we've gained a great deal of knowledge through our experiences." Before we left the builders, Glen Stewart, a filmmaker and Loyola graduate, explained what it's like to work on the floats. "When I come in here in the morning, I'm very relaxed. There is always a carnival-party type of atmosphere going on. WeI,work in a merriment that is in the true spirit of Mardi Gras. I'm looking forward to next year." CACTUS Carnival coalition rescues revelers by Kay Argus This year's Mardi Gras won't be all parades and partying for the volunteer members of the Mardi Gras Coalition, a project of CACTUS. (Community Action Council of Tulane University Students). The Coalition, with over 100 members, will operate mainly on Bourbon St. in the French Quarter, and will have lists of where to stay, where to eat cheaply and where to get medical help. Workers will answer telephones at the Legal Aid Switchboard at Tulane University and the Mobile Answer Service located on St. Peter St. About 20 students from Loyola's School of Law will help the Coalition with legal aid. They will give assistance in four areas: release-on-recognizance programs, bail bond, New Orleans Central Lockup and the Legal Aid Switchboard at Tulane. Legal workers, known as peacekeepers, will walk the streets and inform lawbreakers of their crimes. For example, activities such as smoking marijuana and carrying glass in the street are illegal. Hopefully, the Coalition's actions will help prevent arrests. Coalition medics have completed a 21-hour Red Cross first-aid course and know cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The will carry first-aid packs and treat on-the-spot emergencies. The Coalition will operate a first aid station on the corner of Toulouse and Bourbon Streets; an emergency medical technician and a nurse will be on duty. An ambulance will be available to transport patients to the Head Clinic or to Charity Hospital. The medics are well-prepared to transport patients to the first aid station. Loyola's Linda Huey, a first year medic, said, "We all know how to transport victims bodily. There will be stretchers at the first-aid station and we can contact ambulance and police." The medicas cannot be sued for malpractice. Shirley Reddoch, head of the Mardi Gras Coalition, said, "There is a law, a Good Samaritan law , that protects anyone who in good faith assists in emergency first-aid help if there are no signs of obvious negligence. Who would sue the Red Cross? That's why we require our medics to have Red Cross certification or better qualified."

Archival image is an 8-bit greyscale tiff that was scanned from microfilm at 300 dpi. The original file size was 1498.13 KB.

Transcript

MAROON LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA FEBRUARY 26 1976 VOL. LM NO, 17 Essence of Carnival. floats, feelings, crowds by Janelle Naccari Jim Fadden We had to circle the block twice to be sure that the huge, pale green corrugated metal building at 600 Bordeaux St. was indeed the float factory for the krewes of (omus, Momus and Proteus. Set amid nondescript rows of uptown homes, it stands as a modern Mardi Gras grotto, housing "the Royal Artists" and the fruits of their toil: 52 multi-colored parade floats. This new school of float builders, under the supervision of filmmaker Herb Jahncke, Jr., a member of one of the secret organizations, has been refurbishing the floats downtown since last July. Last week they moved their shop to this new uptown location. Surprisingly, only five to six workers at any one time have done all of the work necessary to produce enough floats for three parades. All the crew workers are filmmakers except for Raul Meir, an artist commissioned by the city government. "A better idea goes further than a bigger dollar," Jahncke said. He said he would like to get away from the "typical pastel nonentities" we've been seeing so much of in the past few years, and use art work with brighter, more vivid colors. He also wants to see more creativity in float designs. "For the past 25-30 years, one man, Blaine Kern, has been setting the extravagant-float trend. We want to change that into a more traditional and simplistic method of float building," Jahncke stated. He said he would like to return to political satire, explaining that Mardi Gras was conducted in New Orleans over 100 years ago by people who would sit in barrooms and drink until they crowded into the streets to parade against the politicians they didn't like. Jahncke said the essence of Mardi Gras parades involves three important elements. "Of course, you must have the floats. Then you have those who ride on the floats and how they feel about Mardi Gras. Their feelings are very important in this respect: how these people feel will have an effect on the third ingredient-the crowd. This whole idea captures the true spirit of participation, an essential part of Mardi Gras." "I don't like the idea of having Mardi Gras in the Superdome. It's highly impersonal and there can be no participation. 1 don't believe in spending a great deal of money to awe and impress the public such as other parades do," Jahncke said. This year, the krewes of Comus and Momus had their plans drawn up in advance so the Royal Artists simply executed these plans. Jahncke's group also created and executed the art work for the floats in the krewe of Proteus parade. A perfect example of their work is the Hollywood float which is a caricature collage of film stars which resembles a film strip wrapped around the float. Jahncke regrets the fact that he didn't have enough time this year to develop the artistic quality capable of his group. "Next year we plan on doing all of the art work on the floats ourselves. This was our first Dear as a working group and we've gained a great deal of knowledge through our experiences." Before we left the builders, Glen Stewart, a filmmaker and Loyola graduate, explained what it's like to work on the floats. "When I come in here in the morning, I'm very relaxed. There is always a carnival-party type of atmosphere going on. WeI,work in a merriment that is in the true spirit of Mardi Gras. I'm looking forward to next year." CACTUS Carnival coalition rescues revelers by Kay Argus This year's Mardi Gras won't be all parades and partying for the volunteer members of the Mardi Gras Coalition, a project of CACTUS. (Community Action Council of Tulane University Students). The Coalition, with over 100 members, will operate mainly on Bourbon St. in the French Quarter, and will have lists of where to stay, where to eat cheaply and where to get medical help. Workers will answer telephones at the Legal Aid Switchboard at Tulane University and the Mobile Answer Service located on St. Peter St. About 20 students from Loyola's School of Law will help the Coalition with legal aid. They will give assistance in four areas: release-on-recognizance programs, bail bond, New Orleans Central Lockup and the Legal Aid Switchboard at Tulane. Legal workers, known as peacekeepers, will walk the streets and inform lawbreakers of their crimes. For example, activities such as smoking marijuana and carrying glass in the street are illegal. Hopefully, the Coalition's actions will help prevent arrests. Coalition medics have completed a 21-hour Red Cross first-aid course and know cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The will carry first-aid packs and treat on-the-spot emergencies. The Coalition will operate a first aid station on the corner of Toulouse and Bourbon Streets; an emergency medical technician and a nurse will be on duty. An ambulance will be available to transport patients to the Head Clinic or to Charity Hospital. The medics are well-prepared to transport patients to the first aid station. Loyola's Linda Huey, a first year medic, said, "We all know how to transport victims bodily. There will be stretchers at the first-aid station and we can contact ambulance and police." The medicas cannot be sued for malpractice. Shirley Reddoch, head of the Mardi Gras Coalition, said, "There is a law, a Good Samaritan law , that protects anyone who in good faith assists in emergency first-aid help if there are no signs of obvious negligence. Who would sue the Red Cross? That's why we require our medics to have Red Cross certification or better qualified."